Browsing by Subject "wood adhesive"

Emulsion polymerization is used to make high molecular weight polymers with a fast reaction rate. In emulsion, the temperature is well controlled and the viscosity of the continuous phase remains constant since all polymer chains are inside colloidal particles. Colloid dispersions have the advantage of being used as they are without further purification, which is great for industrial purposes. Emulsion polymerization is also well-scalable to fit the standards of the industry. Adhesives serve an important role in the furniture and construction industry. Many adhesives used for such purposes are derived from non-renewable resources and are not reusable. Additionally, when such strong adhesives are being used in attaching wooden parts, they cannot be separated and once the lifetime of the product is finished, it ends in a landfill. The possibility to remove such strong adhesives from the wooden product would give the wood possibility to be used in other applications. Additionally, the possibility to reapply the adhesive would decrease the amount of adhesive needed to be produced and increase the lifetime of the glue product. In this thesis polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesives are modified by introducing hydrogen bonding units to the polymer chain by copolymerization of vinyl acetate with monomers having urea and bis-urea hydrogen bonding motifs. Comonomers suitable for vinyl acetate are designed, synthesized and characterized.